The Prime Minister says she will be "politely declining" to take her mask off while taking photographs in the future after receiving flack for appearing in a large crowd indoors without a face covering.
"I think we all accept as politicians that we are role models and I take that job very seriously," Jacinda Ardern said.
An image shared on the Prime Minister's social media accounts on Tuesday showed Ardern, the Governor-General, other MPs and youth parliamentarians not wearing masks while posing for a picture. That's despite the Government urging Kiwis to mask up as COVID-19 case numbers and hospitalisations soar.
Former Prime Minister Helen Clark, former deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters, and ACT leader David Seymour are among those critical of the unmasking.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday afternoon, the Prime Minister said she took her mask off in a specific situation.
"I think everyone will have heard by now, the circumstances of that photo. Masks were on and then were asked to be removed briefly for a photo. I, from time to time, do get asked to take my mask off for photos and in the future I will be more vigilant about politely declining."
She said from time to time politicians "make mistakes", but they are role models.
Asked if people should wear masks even if they posing for a photo, the Prime Minister said she was only commenting on "what I will undertake to do in the future".
The current COVID-19 settings at the orange setting require mask-use in some indoor settings, like retail, public transport and in government buildings. Speaker Trevor Mallard on Tuesday emailed parliamentary staffers reminding them of the need to wear face coverings on the precinct, though that was not in response to Ardern's photo.
Dr Lara Greaves, a political scientist at the University of Auckland, told Newshub that Ardern removing her mask for the photo could reflect the Government's position "which seems to be around individual responsibility and [balancing] your individual risk and your own decision-making".
Greens COVID-19 response spokesperson Teanau Tuiono is advocating for a return to a "strong collective public health response" rather than focussing on the individual.
"We had that in the past when we first had the pandemic, about the team of five million, but we have drifted off that. We have got to get back to that strong, collective public health response," he told Newshub on Thursday.
He also wants the Government to be listening to Māori and Pasifika communities as well as disabled and immunocompromised Kiwis.
The Government hasn't increased restrictions despite the worsening situation as it says 'red' settings wouldn't make a significant difference. It has, however, made masks more accessible and stressed the need to wear them.
Tuiono said the reaction to the Prime Minister's photo showed people "feel very strongly about masks and feel very strongly about the need for them".
"That is why it is really important that we have that clear framework, that we all know what we are doing."
But he said he understood that people do take their masks off for photos.
Dr Greaves said Ardern's picture may frustrate groups pushing for people to mask up.
"I think this is a place where the political left would be a bit more concerned, like the Greens and Māori Party and associated groups from that part of the political spectrum."
